There were again some very strong performances from the small squad of Harries who make the journey to Shipley Park in Heanor in the third round of the North Midlands XC League, with a win and two seconds places the main highlights.
With the overall U11G leader after 2 rounds Harriet Round missing through injury it was U15 G Emily Williams who provided the only win of the afternoon with a terrific race which saw her battling with the lead U13 B throughout the race to finish in 12:54 over the 3.4km course. Emily, who is just getting back to full fitness following a chest infection, dominated the U15G race winning by a comfortable margin of 8 seconds from the talented Newark AC athlete Anna Smith, who like Emily was an English School track silver medallist from the summer, showing that she is in decent shape following her illness. In the same race U13B Josh Geddes also improved from the Kettering round to finish in a fine 11th position in 14:04 with a strong run.
Emily Williams getting back to full fitness with a fine win in the U15G race
Dylan Bowley, a bottom year U15, provided the first runner up position in a close fought race with Darby AC’s Thomas Wright, Dylan was tucked in throughout the 5km course to finish just 1 second behind his older rival in 15:46, and also sits just 1 point behind him in the overall contest after 3 rounds.
Dylan Bowley close fought 2nd place in U15B race
The second runner up position saw U17 Fynn Baktin, also a bottom year athlete, running a superb race to chase Derby AC’s Luke Ward all the way to the finish over the 6km course to finish in 21:57 and improve on his debut race this season at Kettering’s Wicksteed park 3 weeks earlier where he finished in 4th. Josh Cannell also ran in the U17 M race and ran a solid race to finish in 15th place in 24:32.
Fynn Batkin a fine 2nd place in the U17M race
Harriers featured well in the U13 G race with Freya Batkin returning to form to top score in a fine 4th place over the 3km course in 14:45, with Mia Brockway also running a great race just 2 places behind her club colleague in 6th with 14:54.
In the U17 W race there were two Harriers in action, with Sophie Moss who is getting steadily stronger with each race, again top finisher in her best position of the series a fine 10th place in 19:41 over the 5km course. Making her KTH debut on XC Poppy Carmichael, who is returning to fitness after a series of injury setbacks, ran a fine race to finish in 15th place in 20:19 and will she will look to build from this.
In the SM/U20 combined race the ever consistent Edward Cannell enjoyed another fine race over the tough 10km course finishing in 42nd place in 36:35, again reeling in an unsuspecting competitor with his devastating turn of pace in the finish. Edward lies in 5th place in the U20 contest after 3 rounds, and in 17th overall. The only other competitor in the SM race was Andrew Clawson who finished in 147th place in 42:22.
Well done to all who ran, the next fixture in the calender is the KTH hosted Charity Cup on Saturday 10th December at Wicksteed Park.